Manchester United took a commanding step towards the Europa League final with a 3-0 away victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao, while Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to the showpiece with a 3-1 first-leg win over Bodo/Glimt.
At a raucous San Mames, Ruben Amorim’s United side weathered an early onslaught before seizing control of the tie. Casemiro opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, and the match tilted decisively moments later when Athletic’s Dani Vivian was sent off for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, leading to a penalty calmly converted by Bruno Fernandes. The United captain added a second before the break to cap a ruthless spell.
Despite the emphatic win, Amorim urged caution. “They have to think about the second leg,” the United head coach said. “The first 20 minutes were really tough, and anything can change—there are no away goals anymore.”
Amorim admitted it was United’s best result since his arrival in November, but stopped short of calling it their best performance. “There were two games today – the first 25 minutes and the rest,” he said, noting the red card shifted the balance. “We were cautious and limited their chances. That was really important.”
United, languishing in 14th in the Premier League, remain unbeaten in Europe. Amorim cited luck, context, and confidence as key differences between their domestic and continental form.
Athletic boss Ernesto Valverde described it as a “very bad result” and criticised the officiating. The Spaniard contested the penalty incident, suggesting Alejandro Garnacho handled the ball in the buildup. “It’s been too much of a punishment,” Valverde said, lamenting both the second goal and the red card that followed.
Spurs slice through Bodo
In North London, Tottenham also took a significant step towards the final, dispatching Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt 3-1. Brennan Johnson scored after just 38 seconds, with James Maddison and Dominic Solanke adding goals before Ulrik Saltnes pulled one back late for the visitors.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou praised his team’s composure and tactical execution. “Our performance was everything it needed to be – disciplined, calm and effective,” he said. “We know what Bodo are like at home, but if we repeat this next week, we’ll get through.”
Postecoglou, who faced Bodo’s artificial pitch while managing Celtic, acknowledged the difficulty of the return leg. Injuries to Maddison and Solanke – both substituted as precautions – will be closely monitored.
Bodo manager Kjetil Knutsen took heart from Saltnes’ late goal, insisting his side remain in the fight. “It gave us energy and changed the mood,” he said. “We’re not favourites, but we will go for it.”
The return legs take place next Thursday, with United and Spurs in pole position to meet in the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
